


Trick or Treat

by ximeria



Series: 2017 Bimonthly Shorts (x-men AUs) [21]
Category: X-Men (Alternate Timeline Movies), X-Men - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Still Have Powers, Halloween, Humor, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-31
Updated: 2017-10-31
Packaged: 2019-01-27 10:58:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,496
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12580252
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ximeria/pseuds/ximeria
Summary: Erik might have developed a bit of a crush on Raven's brother without ever having met him. It's just that he keeps witnessing Raven losing every argument with him on the phone and Erik is curious, okay? Anyone who can argue Raven out of one of her harebrained ideas has to be worth meeting.





	Trick or Treat

**Author's Note:**

> I've been re-reading old fics in this fandom lately and for a while a lot of people worked off the idea that Raven could talk Charles into anything (It's still one of my favourite ways of getting Charles into trouble) so the idea was born. What if the one person she can't bend to her will is Charles and it's endlessly fascinating to Erik?

Erik isn't going to admit to being prone to stalking people. He's really not. Most days he doesn't give a flying fuck about other people. If he's interested in anyone - which rarely happens - he'll initiate contact. If they're not interested, their loss.

Except this one time. It starts with him overhearing a conversation between Raven, his housemate, and her brother. Not that this is anything out of the ordinary. Erik doesn't have any siblings, so he can't say if it's normal for them to be on the phone with each other several times a week, but it's par for the course with Raven and Charles.

What makes this conversation a little out of the ordinary, is that Charles is clearly telling Raven 'no', if judging from her expression and her tone of voice. To Erik this is fascinating. He's leaning on the counter in the kitchen, not really eavesdropping, but he focuses on it anyway. Raven is hard to say no to. She is a master of needling until one gives in. So to Erik it is fascinating that her brother, whom he's never met, is apparently capable of doing so.

And Erik expects her to be upset, but after about ten minutes on the phone, her tone of voice changes and she ends up agreeing with him. Now there's a thing that Erik would love to learn. He gives into Raven's schemes and ideas far too often and, in his opinion, far too easily. But it's like he has no defence against her sometimes and at other times, he just wants her to leave him alone, so agreeing with her is an easy way out. 

Now that he's noticed, he is witness to several of such telephone calls over the next couple of weeks. Raven's besotted with one of her insane ideas and Charles talking her out of it over the phone. Erik knows from Raven that her brother is a telepath, but such gifts do not work through a phone so he must be very good with words.

Erik might be more fascinated as time goes by. He even tries to track down a Charles Darkholme, but has no luck. It's not that he's turning into something of a stalker - it's not like he's got anyone to stalk at this point. Just the idea that he'd really like to meet Raven's brother just to see what kind of man he is.

And maybe it's because Erik has a bit of a kink when it comes to anyone who is as self assured and capable of arguing as Charles seems to be. When considering that even Erik can't hold his ground against Raven for very long, but Charles manages to not only do so, but also get her to agree with him. Well, Erik might be little obsessed by now.

His opportunity comes and almost goes without him taking it. It involves Raven pestering him again. It's another party, another thing his asocial ass doesn't want to take part in.

"Come on, Erik," Raven sighs eventually. "I promised Charles I'd bring a friend and by now I think he doesn't believe me when I tell him that I have any."

Erik almost automatically tells her no again, but then it filters through that Raven mentioned Charles. "Your brother?" he asks innocently. Or tries. He's not entirely sure that he manages, considering the look she's giving him.

Eventually she nods. "Charles might be a stick in the mud most days, but he throws the best Halloween parties, Erik. And I do know the people there, but I also know that Charles worries I don't connect with any other people now that I live in the city and he's still out in Westchester. I guess I just need you to prove to him I can make friends on my own."

Erik tries not to seem to eager. "I don't even know what to go as," he finally manages to get out.

She looks triumphantly at him. "I could deck you out as a vampire - we always do something ridiculously corny, Charles and me." She cocks her head to the side. "And you look good in a dark suit, you know that." 

Erik makes a face at her. He knows she's right, but he doesn't have to admit to that. He only ever dresses up when he has to. He's an engineer and he is much as the reputation is for those. He would work and live in a cave, a recluse, if he could get away with it. Only ever walking around in a pair of torn jeans and a t-shirt with oil stains.

The party is more impressive than Erik imagined. The house looks properly creepy and it could have doubled as a set for a horror movie if not for the corny halloween decorations. Jack-o-lanterns, dressed up skeletons - and Erik has to laugh when Raven explains that half of them are her brother's and she's pretty sure the other half has been filched from Columbia where some of Charles' friends study and Charles occasionally teaches.

The night is nothing like Erik had imagined. First and foremost because within half an hour he's sequestered away in an old library with dark panelled walls, arguing with one of the few men that might leave Erik feeling starstruck these days.

Well, he's starstruck for about five minutes, then his stubbornness takes over and he tries to keep up with Charles as the man takes all Erik's brilliant ideas apart. And if Erik wasn't busy arguing, he might even admit to himself that he can see how Raven always ends up backing down when she argues with Charles on the phone.

Erik is pretty sure that it's even harder to argue with him in person.

Not that he's complaining. There's a fire in the fireplace, he's pleasantly warm from the scotch Charles has poured him and he's arguing with one of his heroes. Even if said hero is dismantling Erik argument by argument - using nothing but logic and that soft as butter British accent.

While dressed as a zombie.

Erik feels riled up, he feels a little wild and more than a lot turned on, and eventually he feels all his ideas have been shot down. "Is there nothing I can say that you will agree with me on?"

Charles draws in a deep breath, sitting back in his seat and studying Erik like he is the most fascinating man alive.

It does nothing to bring Erik's attraction down.

"Depends on what you might suggest, my friend," he finally says, a wicked grin on those blood red painted lips. "So far I've heard nothing that appeals to me. You might try to talk about something else than genocide and master race."

Erik throws up his hands, his tumbler of scotch empty on the table, the crystal reflecting the flickering firelight, both maybe making him a little more reckless than he normally is. "Trick or treating? Sex?" he suggests before he can stop himself. And it does take him a moment to realize that slipped out without him even trying to stop it.

"With you, I'm sure we can make an interesting mix of both," Charles says, delight in his voice and eyes as he stands from his comfortable chair. "From what I can tell," he says, tapping the side of his head, indicating Erik's mental state, "you're not too drunk to make this suggestion and follow through without any regrets." This is the first time there's something guarded in Charles' eyes. "I don't need that kind of drama in my life."

"No, you've already got drama covered pretty well. You have Raven for a sister," Erik says, still reeling from the fact that Charles agreed.

This makes Charles laugh out loud, leaning in to take Erik's hand and drag him to his feet. "Trick or treat, then" Charles winks outrageously, not letting go of Erik's hand. "Not only are you not afraid to argue with me, but you also don't seem to worry about me being a telepath." The latter is added with a strange rush of happiness.

"I would be more wary of your ability to take every one of my arguments apart using logic only," Erik grumbles but he willingly lets Charles pull him along and out the door, heading further away from the party that sounds like it's still going strong.

"Well, you just need practice against a strong opponent," Charles tells him, throwing him a coquettish look over his shoulder. "And see, we've already managed to find common ground."

Erik can only laugh helplessly. He's beginning to understand why Raven always folds when Charles is being reasonable with her. There's no way of winning. Not that it will keep Erik from trying, just because he already understands that Charles thrives with a challenge and it's possible the longer he can hold out the sweeter the reward.

And that is definitely something Erik can give him.


End file.
